


Red Eyes in the Dark

by Benjamaru



Category: The Haunting of Hill House (TV 2018)
Genre: Bittersweet, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:47:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24677152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benjamaru/pseuds/Benjamaru
Summary: It was well past his bedtime and he knew he’d be in trouble if he was caught out of bed yet the thought of missing her scared him more, and so, as he did every night, he snuck out of bed and climbed onto the window sill facing the road and waited.
Relationships: Eleanor "Nell" Crain & Luke Crain
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	Red Eyes in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Another sleepless night has lead me to write. Enjoy the fruits of my insomnia.

It had been a year since his mother’s funeral but Luke still didn’t understand what had happened to her. He didn’t know why she was sleeping in that wooden box or why they buried her so far under the ground. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t come to get them yet, she was lost somewhere struggling to find her way back to them.

It was well past his bedtime and he knew he’d be in trouble if he was caught out of bed yet the thought of missing her scared him more, and so, as he did every night, he snuck out of bed and climbed onto the window sill facing the road and waited. Headlights of a car suddenly came around the bend and towards Aunt Janet’s. _That’s her,_ he thought as he sat up with excitement, _this one **has** to be her!_ The car did not slow down as it approached the house or make any indication of turning into the driveway. Luke had lost count of the times those he watched tail lights grow ever distant, and yet the sting hadn’t softened.

“What are you doing?” his twin asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

“Waiting for mom,” Luke said with defeat in his voice.

“I don’t think she’s coming back,” Nellie said sadly.

“Why would you say that?” Luke asked, but Nellie only looked at the floor and shrugged. 

Nellie climbed up to join him on the window sill, looking down the same road as he was. Luke and Nellie didn’t always need to talk, if they were close enough they could practically read each other’s minds. He could tell she missed mom as much as he did, but she didn’t know where she was either.

Lights came around the bend again and Luke's heart once again raced in anticipation, Nellie was excited too, but more cautious in her optimism. Luke did his best to ignore his sister’s unspoken skepticism as this car, the chariot to his salvation, raced towards the house. _I bet dad is with her, too! We’ll be seven again!_ Though it might have been predictable to anyone else, it broke Luke’s heart as he watched those tail lights, red like the eyes of a monster, sail into the darkness. He wanted to cry but he couldn’t, crying would mean giving up. He could tell Nellie was sad too but when he looked over she wasn’t watching the red lights fade, she was looking at him, tears welling in her eyes.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because you won’t,” Nellie leaned over and hugged him gently as she quietly sobbed into his shoulder.

Even though she was the one crying, Luke knew that Nellie was tougher than him, he realized that their birth order was irrelevant; she was his big sister.

**Author's Note:**

> It has been [0] days since I started rewatching THoHH.  
> After watching episode four again Luke's 90 Days Clean speech wormed its way into my heart and mind in a way it hadn't really before, planting the idea for this fic.  
> I hope you liked this! Feel free to leave a comment giving your thoughts, be they praise or criticism. Have a wonderful day!


End file.
